Chico, Oroville each lose one KFC restaurant

Debbie Rae and Wanda Hogue are surprised Monday by a note on the door of the KFC in Oroville stating the restaurant is closed and to visit the nearest location at the Chico Mall.
(Ty Barbour/Staff Photo)

According to national reports, a bankruptcy court judge in Minnesota awarded many of the Wagstaff stores to AFC Enterprises Inc. of Atlanta, which operates Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurants, which also sell fried chicken.

Reports said the stores purchased by AFC would open next year as Popeyes.

Denny Wagstaff, the Boise, Idaho franchisee of stores in Northern California and Minnesota, had filed for bankruptcy protection and was trying to reorganize, but a Minnesota bankruptcy judge decided to sell the stores, according to the Restaurant Finance Monitor.

It is unclear if employees of the closed stores will be rehired when the stores reopen.

There is a Popeyes inside the truck center on Knighton Road in Redding and on 10th Street in Marysville.

Reach Laura Urseny at 896-7756, lurseny@chicoer.com, or on Twitter @LauraUrseny.